Toni Kroos     21     Midfielder     Bayern Munich

In any other country, Toni Kroos would be considered exceptional. A wonderful passer, naturally creative and adept at playing through the middle, operating just off a striker, wide as part of a front three or even as a classic winger. 

But while Kroos is playing at a high level week in, week out with Bayern, he is not quite the most talked about player in his homeland due to no other reason than he finds himself playing in the time of twin juggernauts Götze and Özil. Kroos is part of a wonderful era for German football and while being very much part of the renaissance, he is not the fulcrum he would perhaps be at any other time in the nationalmannschaft’s rich history. Kroos’ performances and development have been excellent, but he is amongst players whose own form has been exceptional.

At international level competition for a place is intense, but recognising Kroos’ versatility, Joachim Löw has ensured that he remains involved. Domestically Kroos has played a part in Bayern’s good early season form but he really needs to discover the goal scoring touch and revive the string-pulling, exceptional displays from his one year loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen.  Whether Bayern are prepared to give Kroos quite as much freedom as he enjoyed at the BayArena is open to conjecture.

With a number of players, notably Marco Reus at Mönchengladbach, keen to annex off a midfield berth for Germany, Kroos can’t rest, but it must be remembered he is an excellent footballer already, just not *as* excellent of some of his contempories.  He is very good though.

“Metronomic and pathological passer of the ball. Forced into a different role at Bayern than the one he enjoyed at Leverkusen where he's not able to shine as much, but still all quality on the ball” – John Dobson (Journalist)

C+     A very good player progressing well.  Go grab a slice of that limelight.